Sail-World.com : The little boat that could - Sunferries MIRW Day 2
|
The little boat that could - Sunferries MIRW Day 2 |
Townsville's own Leon Thomas, racing his 7m sports boat Guilty Pleasures at the second Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week, yesterday took the IRC handicap win from his bigger rivals.
In the windward/leeward Race 1 today for the IRC and PHS fleets, Guilty Pleasures proved yesterday's win was no fluke, finishing third on handicap behind Wayne Millar's Murray 41 Zoe and Mike Steel's Dufour Performance 34 Boudicea.
At the start of IRC Race 1, Rob Bassett's Bakewell-White 52ft Marley Wired was quick off the line, followed by Zoe.
At the top mark, Zoe had closed on Wired, but Guilty Pleasures stole the show when she came flying in from the port lay line diving around the mark ahead of Graham Donnell's Flying Tiger Feral and John Stokes Bavaria Match 38 Mach 1.
Guilty Pleasures gybed early and went right, holding third place down to the bottom mark.
Zoe closed on Marley Wired, who dropped very early and looked to be having canting keel problems, (the crew later confessed it was a mix up) which slowed her down considerably. However once Marley Wired rounded the mark she had a good second beat and picked the shift nicely thereby gaining valuable time and she crossed the line seven minutes ahead of Zoe.
Guilty Pleasures stormed home fully powered with her big white spinnaker flying, to take third place on line honours. Conditions this afternoon suited the little sportsboat who remained powered up while her bigger rivals wallowed in the light conditions.
In IRC Race 2, Zoe took the handicap honours from Guilty Pleasures, with Marley Wired third.
Guilty Pleasures currently leads the second Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week by one point from Zoe.
Can the 'little boat that could' steal this regatta? Time will tell.
Leon Thomas commented dockside, 'A lot of people are surprised just how well she goes up wind against boats twice her size and we’ve been making big gains there.'
Wayne Millar was pleased after two wins in a row. ‘What can I say? Yesterday we were disappointed, it was small boat race. The boys really tied one on last night, there was lots of dust early, but they really sailed well in both races. It was very flukey and we had to work hard. Leon and his guys are still leading, they’ve been sailing very well, so we have a challenge ahead.'
In PHS Division Race 1, Zoe won on handicap from Mach 1, with Marley Wired third.
PHS Division Race 2 was won on handicap by Feral, Graham Donnell's Flying Tiger 10. Marley Wired was second and Zoe finished third.
A tough day for Wild Spirit, racing in PHS class. Helmsman Colin Wilson explained 'On the first work of the first race, we lost the mainsheet block.. just had to knot the mainsheet, it was set it and forget it. '
The Cruising Divisons started today's 15.1 nautical mile race to White Rock in 12 knots of building breeze.
Dick Cerny's Aussie Rules started well on the pin, with Gary McCarthy and Tracey Johnstone's White Pearl above her. Farrago (Paddy McCutcheon) and Storm 2 (Don Algie) started midline.
Ngak Ngak helmed by Michelle Petrie, the only woman skipper in the fleet, gained speed as she approached the line and came up through the fleet on the outside.
White Pearl, who had a good start, lead the fleet as the headed up the Magnetic Island Coastline. Storm 2, hugging the coastline, was rapidly gaining ground on the leader, however Holy Cow (John and Kim Clinton) tacked out further into the channel looking for the stronger breeze.
Results for the Cruising fleets. Aussie Rules, Dick Cerny's Beneteau Oceanis 500 has taken the Non Spinnaker Division on handicap. Second was Bushwacker 11, Kevin Shanks Farr 1104 and third was Jimmie Blacksmith, the Adams 12 of Campbell Corbett.
In the Cruising with Spinnaker Division, Barbarella Mal Tynan's Schionning Signature 14 Catamaran won the race on handicap from Don Algie's Warwick 66 Storm 2, with Gary McCarthy's and Tracey Johnstone's Simonis Voogd, White Pearl third.
All results are now final and are available at www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au
by Al Constable/Rob Kothe
2:58 AM Sun 7 Sep 2008 GMT
Click here for printer friendly version
Click here to send us feedback or comments about this story.
If you want to send this story to a friend, please use link below
http://www.sail-world.com/USA/The-little-boat-that-could---Sunferries-MIRW-Day-2/48598
Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:
.jpg)
Click for further information on
Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week 2010
Related News Stories:
MORE STORIES ...
|
| |
_Std.jpg)
